NUTS!

Once again it has been a while since I have posted. I blame work. Again.

Anyway at the last club day I managed to get in two games of NUTS! using my Russian and partially painted Germans (pictures of them soon).

Apart from the usual fumbling with new rules it went very well. The second game was very quick as the reaction tables were quite easy to remember. We got the usual number of rules wrong which changed the game subtly I am sure, but all in all it worked out very well. The main rule we missed was setup time for a moved LMG. As a result we had guys bouncing around the table like Arnie, shooting from the hip with MG-42's and DP-28's. A bit funny when you think about it.

Funniest event of the game was a misthrown grenade by the Germans, that somehow managed to ricochet of a Russian helmet and hit a German group some distance away and take two men out. Not sure we interpreted the rule correctly here, but certainly a funny and somewhat cinematic outcome. :)

As a result of those two games I am thinking about terrain, extra infantry, and some vehicles. Otherwise some scenarios are in order, probably as a campaign sequence, that can be played in a typical club day.

If you have not given NUTS! a try, I recommend doing so. It is the nuts. :D

Russian Rifle Section

With the arrival of the Peter Pig figures (so many figures so little time :) I have been able to complete the two rifle groups. I also put the finishing touches to the busted T-34 I have.

The figures' bases have been modelled with patchy snow in hollows and under bushes. It is pretty generic sort of basing, so should be good for most scenarios. Plus the presence of some snow supports the wearing of greatcoats - so far only on the LMG gunners.

So here they are together, the first rifle group inspecting a destroyed T-34.

Points for picking the Peter Pig figure in there. But you cannot refer to past posts. :)

Updated to include a larger size image on request...

T-34 Paint Guide

As part of the NUTS! painting effort I have dragged out a long forgotten objective marker of a destroyed T-34.

Apart from the obvious colour - some inspiration was needed about the finer details... The marker is basically base coated and needs work on weathering in general - tracks specifically.

• T-34 track detail
• A nicely weathered T-34/85
• Brilliant winter weathering, inlcudes some interior detail. Just fantastic. Green with envy even.
• More weathering on a T-34 obr. 1941
• 1943 model T-34/75
• Image of a museum T-34/85
  

Some nice pictures of a 1/16 scale (!) captured T-34 showing great detail on the tracks. Came from this post on the Scale Model site, which unfortunately needs a login to view.

WW2 Russians

I have made a start on my forces for NUTS!. The discovery of some left over figures from my Guards Air Landing force for FoW settled the question of which theatre to play.

The left over figures did not include any of the Degtyarev DP LMGs, so I have ordered some from the local Peter Pig distributer along with an OPFOR of late war Germans.

I also have a vague inclination to get some Japanese as well, to be opponents in the Manchurian campaign - something a little different.

Here is an early picture of the two groups (aka sections, squads) of a Russian platoon. These figures are from the FoW range.

Despite my best efforts, these tovarishes look a little dark - they look better in person. Still a bit more highlighting and weathering to do, but they are beginning to take shape.


The basic set of colours in use here are:

Tunic
Tamiya Khaki

Boots
GW Chaos Black

Gun
GW Bestial Brown

Helmet
Vallejo Russian Green

Gun Metal
GW Chainmail

Pouches
GW Graveyard Earth/GW Bleached Bone 50:50

Rain Poncho
GW Catachan Green over GW Graveyard Earth

HOTT Skeletons

While I had the camera out I decided it was past time to capture some class photos for my army of skeletons.

The spears are a recent addition and have not been based yet. In the meantime I have completely changed my basing technique, so I have to relearn the old way... Oops.

Artillery. Next to useless in practice, but nice little diorama.
Sand bags and cannon balls hand made from Milliput

Dark Riders. Someone ought to get those horses some oats.


Lurker.


Blades.
Some effort was put into making the metal rusty looking, including orange surface rust and the deeper red iron cancer.


Shooters.
They are carrying crossbows if that is not completely clear.


Necromancer as the Magician who raised the skeleton army.
Has a skeleton standard bearer and a sorcerer or some other magical assistant.


The necromancer's Stronghold.
I was a bit inspired by Orthanc in the construction. All the rivets are PVA drops applied with a piece of brass rod.


Spears.
Cannot quite figure out what the shako or WW2 helmet is all about...


Wraith Sneakers